Gov't pushes more money into technical vocational education

Submitted by Janene Pieters on June 6, 2018 - 10:50

Arie Slob ChristenUnie. Arie Slob, leader of ChristUnie

This year and next year secondary vocational schools (VMBO) will receive more money for pupils with a technical profile, Minister Arie Slob for Primary and Secondary Education wrote in a letter to parliament. In this way the government wants to stimulate technical education, he said, NOS reports.

The government promised 100 million euros extra for technical education in the Rutte III coalition agreement. Slob now explained how this money will be divided. This year VMBO schools will get 1,500 euros extra per pupil studying a technical direction, next year it will increase to 3 thousand euros per pupil. There will also be extra money for pupils with mixed learning paths, 750 euros this year and 1,500 euros in 2019.

The demand for well-trained technical personnel is increasing, but fewer and fewer pupils pick a technical VMBO program, Slob said in his letter. The quality of the programs is also under pressure due to a looming teacher shortage. And that while technological developments are happening faster and faster. "Think of developments in the energy sector, the rise of the electric car and installations in our homes", he wrote. "With this investment, schools are given more opportunity to build on their technical range."

The government wants VMBO technical programs to be future-proof accessible to all pupils throughout the country by 2024. To achieve this, schools will have to collaborate regionally with other schools and the business community. If they submit a good plan for this before April 1st, 2019, they can also be eligible for extra money in 2020 and onwards.